Might give this a go... I have it working at the moment but only as an EDID hack. Wonder if using a compliant cable with the beta will enable native support for 1080p HiDPI on a 1440p screen...
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Users Report Loss of HiDPI Scaling on External Displays in macOS Sierra
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Hi,
I am running 2 x Dell P2715Q on a Mid-2015 15 inch MBP. Both are on display port connections into separate TBolt ports.
On 10.11 (El Capitan) these both ran @ 60Hz no issue in either 'retina' mode (like 1080p) or any scaled resolution up to 3840 x 2160 on both displays. I typically run in the "looks like 2560 x1440" scaled mode. It matches what I am used to in non-retina iMac 27 inch terms.
I upgraded to 10.12 (Sierra) without issues on every other mac I own (I have a fair few) but this MBP has been a pain in the arse. I have scaled resolutions as normal but at any scaled setting one of the monitors goes blank intermittently and is then reacquired. This is unpredictable and is not the same as being unplugged, i.e. the open windows don't migrate like a single monitor situation. An SMC and NVRAM reset do nothing. Unselecting automatic graphics switching doesn't help much, although it may increase time intervals between the blanking periods. It's not hardware as if I swap ports over the other monitor blanks and a time machine restore to 10.11 solves the issue.
I am not sure if it is a thermal problem as 10.12 seems to have the fan running more than 10.11. I have noted more glitching and pausing in activity, especially shortly after boot too.
I considered some form of thermal GPU throttling/GPU switching as possible causes but forcing dedicated graphics use doesn't seem to help (as already mentioned).
Any ideas?
I am running 2 x Dell P2715Q on a Mid-2015 15 inch MBP. Both are on display port connections into separate TBolt ports.
On 10.11 (El Capitan) these both ran @ 60Hz no issue in either 'retina' mode (like 1080p) or any scaled resolution up to 3840 x 2160 on both displays. I typically run in the "looks like 2560 x1440" scaled mode. It matches what I am used to in non-retina iMac 27 inch terms.
I upgraded to 10.12 (Sierra) without issues on every other mac I own (I have a fair few) but this MBP has been a pain in the arse. I have scaled resolutions as normal but at any scaled setting one of the monitors goes blank intermittently and is then reacquired. This is unpredictable and is not the same as being unplugged, i.e. the open windows don't migrate like a single monitor situation. An SMC and NVRAM reset do nothing. Unselecting automatic graphics switching doesn't help much, although it may increase time intervals between the blanking periods. It's not hardware as if I swap ports over the other monitor blanks and a time machine restore to 10.11 solves the issue.
I am not sure if it is a thermal problem as 10.12 seems to have the fan running more than 10.11. I have noted more glitching and pausing in activity, especially shortly after boot too.
I considered some form of thermal GPU throttling/GPU switching as possible causes but forcing dedicated graphics use doesn't seem to help (as already mentioned).
Any ideas?
I was running two 30" Apple Cinema Display's over one thunderbolt cable using a dock and a Active 4K-HDMI to Displayport converter, so basically:
Thunderbolt -> Thunderbolt Dock -> HDMI to Displayport -> mDP to DL-DVI -> ACD
_________________________ \ -> Thunderbolt Drive -> mDP to DL-DVI -> ACD
This was running perfectly fine on El Capitan, but after upgrading to Sierra the HDMI connection only shows a 30" ACD at 1280x800 instead of the full 2560x1600.
So it does look like they've done some work on HDMI drivers.
Using the other thunderbolt port for that second display solves it for now, but really hope they fix it and I get my thunderbolt port back.
Thunderbolt -> Thunderbolt Dock -> HDMI to Displayport -> mDP to DL-DVI -> ACD
_________________________ \ -> Thunderbolt Drive -> mDP to DL-DVI -> ACD
This was running perfectly fine on El Capitan, but after upgrading to Sierra the HDMI connection only shows a 30" ACD at 1280x800 instead of the full 2560x1600.
So it does look like they've done some work on HDMI drivers.
Using the other thunderbolt port for that second display solves it for now, but really hope they fix it and I get my thunderbolt port back.
I had this problem moving from El Capitan to Sierra when using an HDMI-to-HDMI cable on an Asus PB278Q external monitor. The best resolution I could get was 1080p.
I read that using a Mini-DP-to-DP cable works. I bought this cable and am now back to 2560x1440.
If I swap to the HDMI-to-HDMI cable the best resolution I can get is 1080p.
I read that using a Mini-DP-to-DP cable works. I bought this cable and am now back to 2560x1440.
If I swap to the HDMI-to-HDMI cable the best resolution I can get is 1080p.
The issue is to do with HiDPI scaling, though. I am already using a MiniDP-DP cable, which had no issues in Yosemite or EL Capitan
Running dual 4k 31mu97's + a cinema display on my MP -- no issues t'all. Could this be MacBook only issue?
Found a solution!
Same problem.
Mid 2012 15" MacBook Pro Unibody
32" HP Envy @ 2560 x 1440
Was able to run in that resolution just fine on El Capitan using a HDMI cable > HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter.
Upgraded to MacOS Sierra, and it locked me down to 1080P.
Spoke with Apple support, they said they were aware of this issue, and said a possible work around was to use DisplayPort > Mini DisplayPort, so I went and got a cable and now I'm back to 2560 x 1440!
Same problem.
Mid 2012 15" MacBook Pro Unibody
32" HP Envy @ 2560 x 1440
Was able to run in that resolution just fine on El Capitan using a HDMI cable > HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter.
Upgraded to MacOS Sierra, and it locked me down to 1080P.
Spoke with Apple support, they said they were aware of this issue, and said a possible work around was to use DisplayPort > Mini DisplayPort, so I went and got a cable and now I'm back to 2560 x 1440!
Once again, this is NOT the problem reported in the article. I have never used a HDMI cable to connect my MacBook Pro to my monitor.
I don't want to run 2560x1440 native, I can do that anyway. I want to use HiDPI scaling to get a high quality 1080p view on my 1440p display.
I was having the problem, and found the source of the problem. This might work for all of you.
Open /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist.
In my version, I had a key that looked bad - the key was "-bool", of type string, with a value of "true". That looked really bad. Like, it was supposed to have been an attribute applied to an existing key, but instead got stored as a new key. I was able to delete that key (sudo defaults remove I think was the command), and rebooted, and now all my HiDP resolutions are back.
I think maybe in the upgrade to Sierra, some script was trying to update a key, but screwed up, and this, for lack of a better word, "corrupted" the plist, and so the HiDPI resolutions disappeared.
Open /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist.
In my version, I had a key that looked bad - the key was "-bool", of type string, with a value of "true". That looked really bad. Like, it was supposed to have been an attribute applied to an existing key, but instead got stored as a new key. I was able to delete that key (sudo defaults remove I think was the command), and rebooted, and now all my HiDP resolutions are back.
I think maybe in the upgrade to Sierra, some script was trying to update a key, but screwed up, and this, for lack of a better word, "corrupted" the plist, and so the HiDPI resolutions disappeared.
Again, this is not the problem talked about in the news post.
Over a display port cable, HiDPI scaling for things that are not pixel-doubled doesn't work.
I have a particular variant of this problem on Sierra with my DELL P2415Q: When I first boot the machine plugged into the Dell monitor, I get the higher resolutions fine. My display settings looks like this:
It's when I unplug/replug the external monitor that I lose the high resolution and my display settings looks like this:
I tried setting:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true
and rebooting, but that did not solve the problem.
Did not have this issue in El Capitan.
Talked with Apple Tech Support -- they did not have a solution for me. Hopefully Apple will release a fix.
It's when I unplug/replug the external monitor that I lose the high resolution and my display settings looks like this:
I tried setting:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true
and rebooting, but that did not solve the problem.
Did not have this issue in El Capitan.
Talked with Apple Tech Support -- they did not have a solution for me. Hopefully Apple will release a fix.
Attachments
I have to do this every single time I disconnect/reconnect my laptop. Is that true for you too? Any recommendations to get around that?
I have a Mac Pro 5,1 and using the HDMI port on my 3440x1440 monitor yields only 1080p. DisplayPort works fine, my El Capitan Macbook Pro works fine, etc. I've tried all solutions available: Forcing an EDID file, using DisplayResolutionEnabled and changing to false, etc. I've heard reported that the 10.12.1 beta may fix it for some. I'm just posting here for it to be noted as there aren't many Mac Pro users posting about this. yet.
More importantly, that's not HiDPI - the '1440' figure is a dead giveaway. Unless I'm mistaken, the only problems that we're seeing involve UHD resolution or above (at least that's all I care about, since I have a 4k Samsung). So while it's great that acctman's monitor is working, that doesn't sound like evidence that the issue has been fixed in Sierra. :/
Running one 31mu97 + a rMBP 15" 2015 and I simply can't make Display Port 1.2 to work (10.12.1 not the beta)
This is what I get:
Display Port 1.2 turned ON
(in the monitor settings):
- miniDP -> DP = 4096x2160@60hz
but black screen
- TB2 -> TB2 = 4096x2160@60hz
but black screen
- HDMI 1.4 -> HMDI 1.4 = sub4k@24hz
woth picture (!!)
Display Port 1.2 turned OFF
(in the monitor settings):
- miniDP -> DP = 3840x2160@30hz
with picture
- TB2 -> TB2 = 3840x2160@30hz
with picture
- HDMI 1.4 -> HMDI 1.4 = sub4k@24hz
with picture
Tomorrow I'll upgrade to the beta and see how things are.
New 13" MBP (with touchbar). New LG 27UD68-P 27-Inch 4K UHD IPS Monitor with FreeSync. Couldn't get LG to work consistently at all, and never above 1080P. Got a DisplayPort to USB C adapter and DisplayPort is working flawlessly. For me, this is definitely an HDMI issue.
I have a particular variant of this problem on Sierra with my DELL P2415Q: When I first boot the machine plugged into the Dell monitor, I get the higher resolutions fine. My display settings looks like this:
It's when I unplug/replug the external monitor that I lose the high resolution and my display settings looks like this:
I tried setting:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true
and rebooting, but that did not solve the problem.
Did not have this issue in El Capitan.
Talked with Apple Tech Support -- they did not have a solution for me. Hopefully Apple will release a fix.
This. This is exactly what happened to me.
[doublepost=1480574750][/doublepost]
Which cable/dongle are you using? Mine did the thing that it would never show me the scaled resolutions after I unplugged the display for the first time, but I'm using that USB-C AV HDMI Adapter dongle from Apple.